USB Port

Calvin

Has anyone created their own USB port into their car?

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Alstann

Do you mean as an aux usb port for a head unit?

Calvin

haha nope!! just for a charger.

something like this

How To: Install a USB Charger/Connection Port in a Factory Blank - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

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kenchan

some reason that link is taking forever to load...

if you want to hardwire a USB power cord check ebay. they sell modules you can tap into your switched wire.

or you can get those cigarette lighter socket ones that has the USB port on them and just plug away. i use this on my G.

Calvin

haha ill check ebay.
i do have the cigarette lighter ones you plug in, but i just felt like making my own usb port so i can save that for something else xP

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zintoatree

I did this with my Frontier. I broke open a cigarette lighter charger, soldered two wires to - & + and tapped them into actual cigarette lighter port. I cut a hole into the blank plate that takes place of the 4wd switch and glued the charger onto it.

kenchan

yah, actually i did the same too on my nuvi since i had 2 of these power plugs laying around. lol

after soldering the leads you can use large heat shrink tubing to insulate. (or even hit it with that spray dip product)

Alstann

I remember reading that when I had my 4Runner, haha, what a small world.

I actually went with something that had more use to me in the 4Runner - I bought a flush mount cigarette lighter 12v outlet and mounted it in my center console. They sell them at boat/marine shops. I then just got one of those flush mount USB 12v adapters, and it was perfect. It also gave me the option to have an extra 12v just in case needed one.

Browsing Store - 12v S/S RECEPTACLE W/CAP was what I used, bought it locally.


For the USB, I used something like this: Car Cigarette Powered 1000mA USB Adapter/Charger - White (DC 12V) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme Although, I did come across one that actually sat inside the outlet, and did not protrude at all.

I wasn't really a fan of the usb outlet on a switch blank, because I felt that it wasn't clean to have wires running across my dash or anything.

EDIT: If you do decide to just solder a USB cable to an existing 12v source - be warned - you need to step down the voltage from 12v to 5v. Most cellphones charge @5VDC, and may fry if you just go straight to 12v from a USB cable. If you are soldering in a phone charger that was normally a cigarette lighter by breaking it open, you should be fine.